Join us on the Night Afore LandxSea for a Dram of Science, a relaxed evening of science, stories and tastings in the Montrose Playhouse Bar.

Bringing together researchers from the James Hutton Institute and sustainable Scottish winery Two Raccoons, Dram of Science explores the science and ingenuity behind what we grow, ferment, brew and distil, from climate, crops and barley to winemaking, food waste and Scotland’s world-famous drinks.

Expect a friendly, sociable evening with short talks, big ideas, tastings and plenty of time to chat. Our speakers will explore how farming shapes the land, how barley varieties are developed, what a changing climate means for the future of crops, food systems, brewing and distilling, and how Two Raccoons transforms surplus fruit into delicious, limited-edition Scottish wines.

Speakers

Ella Southin

James Hutton Institute

Talk: Creating Hybrids: Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger

Ella will share how barley varieties can be combined to get the most out of them genetically, and how this approach has shaped crop improvement even before formal scientific research gave these processes a name.

Shanzay Qamar

James Hutton Institute

Talk: Expanding the Range of Barley Gene Editing Tools

Shanzay’s project focuses on improving barley for the whisky industry using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system. Her research aims to optimise editing techniques for genes linked to malting quality, disease resistance and climate resilience, with the goal of developing The BARedit Toolbox: a set of tools to support more resilient, sustainable and high-quality barley for industry.

James Grieves

James Hutton Institute

Talk: Tilled With Good Intentions

James will explore how intensive farming helped solve immediate food needs, while creating long-term environmental pressures, and how agricultural science is now working backwards to help repair and rethink the system in the face of climate change.

Two Raccoons

Scottish Zero-Waste Winery

Introduction & Wine Tasting

Two Raccoons works with farmers, factories and food banks to repurpose surplus fruit that would otherwise go to waste. Since 2021, the winery has saved more than six tonnes of fruit, making wines from blackcurrants, bananas, mangoes, raspberries and many more. At Dram of Science, Two Raccoons will briefly introduce its zero-waste approach before offering a tasting of its sustainably made fruit wines.